Real world place names that would make awesome fantasy names

In the spirit of the "Worst fantasy names in our Real World" thread, how about some names which are just, well, awesome.

Some starters:

Ormskirk: literally "Church of the Dragon" (Lancashire)

The Isle of Foulness. (Essex)

Dunwich. (Suffolk). Yes, it was a real place. Before it fell into the sea. Which makes it more awesome.

Anghor Thom: "Great City"
Anghor Wat: "City Temple"

There's a place in Quebec called "Kamouraska" that we passed by on a cross-country trip out east. I pulled over on the side of the road, wrote it down, and used it for the name of a recurring villain in my homebrew. A devourer who was pulling the strings on a lot of heavy heavy in a pirate city.

I always liked the city of Astrakhan in Russia.

The Taklamakan Desert in China means "Place of Abandonment."

Isis Temple, specifically thinking of the formation in the Grand Canyon. It is particularly fitting for the home brew world we play in.

Arkkukari = coffin reef
Arkala = timid
Halivaara = hug hill
Hammaslahti = tooth bay
Hankala = difficult
Elinmylly = organ mill (not the musical organ)
Hepojoki = horse river
Hiljaistenmiestenlaakso = valley of the silent men
Kalmankaltio = spring of death (drink from that, if you dare)
Kalmaniemi = cape of death
Katinhäntä = cat's tail
Kissanpiiskaajankuja = cat-whipper alley
Kuoppa = pit
Kuuma = hot
Kylähiisi = hiisi is a kind of troll, kylä means village, so it's a village called "villagetroll"
Livohka = escape
Loukussa = trapped
Löytö = a find
Mailmanlopuntie = end of the world street
Mestauskallio = execution-rock
Meteli = noise
Murtovaara = break-in hill
Myrkky = poison
Niska = neck
Onpahanvaanlampi = "oh my, what a pond" or maybe "now that's a pond"
Pomovaara = boss hill
Risteys = crossroads
Taikavarvuntie = probably closest would be "magic-wand road"
Varisvaara = crow hill
Veneheitto = boat throw

The entire section of Helsinki called Roihuvuori (= blazemountain).
Kääpiöidenpolku = path of the dwarves
Tuhkimontie = Cinderella's road
Punahilkantie = Little Red Riding Hood's road
Keijukaistenpolku = path of the fairies
Untuvaisentie = road of down (as in the fluffy feathers on a bird)
Vuorenpeikontie = road of the mountain troll
Prinssintie = road of the prince
Prinsessantie = road of the princess
Jättiläisenpolku = path of the giant
Tulisuontie = fire-swamp road
Porolahdenkuja = raindeer-gulf alley

There is a point when a non-modern-English placename enters the realm of Birthright-like in its unpronounceability. It is only seem as a pattern/blur of letters.

The Empty Quarter (a chunk of pretty much desolate desert).

the Jester said:

The Empty Quarter (a chunk of pretty much desolate desert).

Click to expand...

Is it next to the Not So Empty Quarter, Somewhat Filled Quarter, and Full Quarter?

Death Valley - "Like fer shur, I mean like totally gag me with a stake, like, y'know?"

Cheers, -- N